(1) Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to collection of waste from animals which are confined to indoor dwellings by use of an animal litter box. The design of the litter box simplifies collection and disposal of the waste. In particular, certain components of an animal litter box are re-designed to create better, more reliable, and more convenient feline waste removal over current designs and methods in the art.
(2) Description of Related Art
There are a number of feline litter box styles currently available in the market. One of the more common and affordable method of collecting cat waste is to have a shallow pan filled with cat litter and utilize a manual screening scoop style to remove waste clumps. The person who has to collect cat waste in this method will need a high tolerance for pet waste odor. Many cat owners use this method, but some owners struggle with the odor and seek other solutions.
Though there may be a wide variety of clump removal methods in the industry, they may be categorized as vertical or horizontal screens that pass through the cat litter, either automatically or manually. The clumps are then discharged into a waste box within the cat litter box, or taken to a waste receptacle.
FIG. 5 shows a prior art litter box as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,137 by John D. Rood, et al. As is seen, the design is lacking in three important details which lower the usability.                1. The amount of litter fill is relatively small. The left side of the litter box has two flat portions that restrict the amount of litter fill that can be used at one time. When the litter box is rotated to reset the waste removal tray, there is little room for the litter and it is likely to spill out of the lid and lid edges. The swinging tray is likely to push litter onto the floor as it rotates about a pivot point. It is desirable to use a different geometric design to increase the storage volume of the litter box to avoid spillage.        2. The waste removal tray is too rigid. The size of the waste removal tray requires the lid opening to be large, placing an additional restraint on the amount of litter than can be used at one time. It is desirable to improve the tray design to shrink the size of the lid and thereby improve the amount of litter that can be used at one time.        3. The litter box is open. When rotating the box, there is the likelihood of litter spilling, depending upon how fast the box is rotated. Also, an open design has poor odor control. It is desirable to address this issue to improve odor control and overall feeling of sanitation.        